Hobbyhorse



S.,pt. l5, 953 E. M. KENNEDY 2,651,880

HOBBYHORSE Filed Jan. 2l, 1952 6 a /54 M @l 7W Patented Sept. 15, 1953UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HOBBYHORSE Earl M. Kennedy, Cleveland, OhioApplication January 21, 1952, Serial No. 267,419

My present invention comprises a novel hobby horse in the form of amobile toy designed for the entertainment of children.

One of the objects of my present invention is to provide such a hobbyhorse toy, having provisions for naturalistic movements of the headportion with reference to the shoulder or body portion of the hobbyhorse.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wheel unit associatedwith the body or shoulder portion, which wheel unit has novel provisionsfor producing a swaying motion of the hobby horse in use.

Still another object of the invention is to provide such a toy in whichthe wheel unit has novel provisions for producing sound in imitation ofhoof-beats in the use of the hobby horse.

A still further object of the invention is to provide such a toy inwhich the wheel unit is connected to the shoulder or body portion bymeans of a draft member having provisions for the adjustment of thelatter to different fixed positions with reference to the shoulder orbody portions.

Another object of my invention is to provide such a toy havingassociated therewith shoulder strap and belt whereby to enable the hobbyhorse to be suspended from the childs body in a position extendingbetween the childs legs so that the child does not have to hold thehobby horse in such position, but has his hands free for manipulation oithe reins associated with the head of the hobby horse, and the belt isprovided with a holster for carrying a toy pistol.

For a detailed description of the invention, reference is had to theaccompanying drawing in which;

Figure l is a side elevation of the hobby horse toy of the invention.

Figure 2 is a detailed view of the wheel unit looking in the directionof the arrow 2-2 of Fig. l.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detailed view in side elevation of the upperportion of the hobby horse unit including the head and shoulder or bodyportion, and a portion of the draft member by which the wheel unit isconnected to the body or shoulder portion.

Figure 4 is a partial sectional view taken on the line l-t of Fig. 3.

-n the drawing, the hobby horse toy of the invention is shown ascomprising a movable head unit designated by the numeral I and whichconsists of a head portion 2 and a neck portion 3, the head unit beingconstructed of flat board like material oi wood or plywoodfor a similarmaterial. The head unit I is pivotally secured by means of a dowel 4 tothe shoulder or body unit designated 5, the latter comprising spacedsides 6 and I made of at pieces of board like material which may be thesame kind of material as that from which the head unit is formed. Asseen best in Figure 4, the head unit I is received between the spacedsides 6 and I and pivots around the dowel 4 which extends through thehead unit I and the ends of which extend into and are xed in the sides 6and 'I of the shoulder or body unit 5.

The shoulder or body unit 5 is provided with other dowels 8a and 8 whichextend between the sides 6 and I of the unit 5 and serve to retain thesides in unitary spaced relation. The head unit I is provided with anabutment extension 9 which is arranged to extend between the dowels 8and 8a and the dowels 8 and 8d are arranged in such spaced relation withreference to one another and with reference to the abutment extension 9as to enable the head unit I to have limited pivotal movement around thedowel 4, such pivotal movement being limited by abutment of theextension 9 with one or the other of the dowels 8 or 8a.

The shoulder or body unit 5 may be provided with a rope horn Il)suitably fixed thereto by means of a dowell II. Pivotally connected bymeans of a dowell I2 to the shoulder or body unit 5 is a draft member I3which extends between the spaced sides 6 and 'i of the body unit 5 asseen best in Figure 4, the lower end of the draft member I3 carrying thewheel unit indicated by the numeral I4. The draft member I3 is capableof being adjusted to different fixed positions with respect to theshoulder or body unit 5 by the provision of adjusting means comprising abolt I5 extending between the sides 6 and I of the body'or shoulder unit5 and through arcuate slots I6 provided in the sides and 'I of the unit5. The threaded end of the bolt I5 is provided with a wing nut I5a whichwhen loosened permits pivotal movement of the draft member I3 within thelimits provided by engagement oi the bolt I5 with opposite ends of thearcuate slots It. In use the draft member I3 will be adjusted to thedesired iixed position by tightening the nut I5a so that it bears rmlyagainst the outer surface of the side 6 of the unit 5, the adjustmentbeing such as to enable the body portion 5 and draft member I3 to bedisposed in desired relative positions depending on the height of thechild using the hobby horse unit of the invention.

The wheel unit I4 comprises laterally spaced wheels Il' and I8 suitablyfixed to opposite ends of an axle I9, as by means of pins 20 extendingthrough the hub portions 2i of the wheels I1 and I8 and extendingthrough the axle. The axle I9 extends through a housing 22 which hassecured thereto a socket member 23 which receives the lower end of thedraft member i3, the socket member 23 being provided with a set screw 24for cooperation with the draft member I3 to secure the latter in thesocket. Suitable braces 25 .may be provided extending between the socket23 and the axle housing 22.

Each wheel i1 and I8 is provided with four peripheral legs extendingradially outwardly from the wheel periphery and angularly spaced aroundthe periphery 90 from one another. The four peripheral legs on the wheelI1 are designated Ia, 11b, I1c and I1d. The corresponding peripherallegs on the wheel i8 are designated iSd, ISU, ic and IB. Each of theperipheral legs on each wheel li and I8 is provided at its outerextremity with a respective metal shoe, these shoes being adapted forsuccessive engagements with the ground other traction surface as thewheels rotate as the result of traction engagement of the said metaishoes. The metal shoes on the respective legs of the wheel I1 aredesignated I1e, Hf, Iig' and i'it. The corresponding metal shoes on thelegs of the wheel I8 are designated ide, idf,

ISg and ish. The metal shoes are bolted or otherwise secured to the legsof the respective wheels.

As beforementioned, the wheels it and is are secured to the common axle2i for rotation together as a unit, It will be further noted, uponreference to Figures 1 and 2, that the wheels I? and I8 are arranged onthe axle 2| so that the peripheral legs of one wheel are angular-lydisplaced circumferentially 45 with respect to the peripheral legs ofthe other wheel. Thus the arrangement of the wheels and their respectiveperipheral legs is such that in use of the device of the invention withthe wheel unit in traction, as the device is moved forward, the metalshoes on each wheel will successively engage the traction surfaceproducing a sound in imitation of hoof beats; and due to the angulardisplacement circumferentially of the legs of one wheel with respect tothe legs of the other wheel, a side to side swaying motion of the hobbyhorse device will be produced.

As shown in the drawing reins designated 21 are provided attached to thehead portion 2 of the unit i for manipulation thereof by the child usingthe toy to cause pivotal movement of the unit I with respect to theshoulder or body unit E within the limits of the abutting engagement ofthe abutment extension 9 with the abutment dowels 8 and 8a. A shoulderstrap adapted to extend over the childs shoulders is provided, the samebeing designated by the numeral 28 and secured to a belt 2S adapted tobe secured and fitted around the childs waist. A strap 30 is providedfor inter-connecting the belt 29 with the draft member I3 and may besecured thereto between collars 3i provided thereon. A holster 3I may beprovided on the belt 29 for carrying a toy pistol. Hearwardly of thepoint of connection of the strap 3i! with the draft member I3 andarranged between the latter and the wheel unit I4, there may be provideda suitably simulated tail 32 formed of hair and secured to a staff 33which is received in a socket member 34 secured to the draft member I3.

In the use of the device it will be apparent that the draft member I3will be supported in position between the childs legs by virtue of theshoulder strap and belt means 28, 29 and 30, the wheel unit I4 supportedby the traction surface, so that the childs hands are free formanipulation of the reins 21. Proper adjustment of the position of theshoulder or body unit 5 with respect to draft member I3, depending uponthe height of the child using the device, will be effected by properadjustment of the bolt I5 in the arcuate slot I5 and tightening of thewing nut I5a to fix the selected adjustment position of the parts. Itwill be apparent that the peripheral legs on each wheel I1 and i8 areequidistantly spaced circumferentially of the respective wheel.

Spacers 36 and 31 are provided on the sides 6 and 1, respectively of thebody unit 5', and washers 38 are provided on dowel 4, on opposite sidesof the head unit I, the spacers and washers serving to space andproperly align the head unit I with respect to the sides of unit 5.

.Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. A hobby horse of the class described, comprising, in combination, abody unit, a head unit connected to the body unit, and a traction wheelunit associated with the body unit for supporting the lower end of thehobby horse upon a traction surface, said wheel unit comprising an axle,transversely spaced wheels one secured to each end of said axle wherebythe wheels are rotatable together as a unit, each wheel having aplurality of peripheral legs extending radially outwardly a substantialdistance from the periphery of the respective wheel and equidistantlyspaced circumferentially of the respective wheel, each leg provided witha traction surface engaging metal shoe, the circumferential spacing ofsaid legs being such that said shoes of no more than two legs of eitherwheel will engage the traction surface at any given time, the legs ofone wheel being circumferentially displaced angularly with respect tothe legs of the other wheel, in such a manner that each shoe of eachwheel will engage the traction surface intermediate the engagement ofadjacent shoes of the other wheel with said surface during rotation ofsaid wheels.

2. A hobby horse as claimed in claim 1 wherein each wheel is providedwith four peripheral legs circumferentially spaced ninety degrees withrespect to one another, the legs of one wheel being circumferentiallydisplaced angularly forty-five degrees with respect to the legs of theother wheel.

3. A hobby horse of the class described comprising, in combination, abody unit including spaced side members, connecting elementsinterconnecting said side members, a head unit comprising a head portionand a neck portion integral therewith, the neck portion being receivedbetween said side members and connected thereto for pivotal movementrelative to said body unit, said neck portion including an abutmentextension extending between said connecting elements and arranged forabutting engagement with one of said connecting elements upon pivotalmovement of the head unit in one direction and for abutting engagementwith the other connecting element upon pivotal movement of the head unitin the other direction whereby to limit said pivotal movement, atraction Wheel unit for supporting the lower end of the hobby horse upona traction surface, a draft member secured to the wheel unit and havingits upper end extending between said side members and pivotallyconnected thereto, said side members provided with arcuate slots, a boltpassing through said slots and through said draft member, the bolt beingmovable in said slots upon pivotal movement of the draft member relativeto said body unit, and nut means on said bolt and cooperable with one ofsaid side members for adjustably securing the body unit in differentfixed positions of pivotal adjustment with respect to the draft member.

4 A hobby horse of the class described, comprising, in combination, abody unit, a head unit connected to the body unit, and a traction wheelunit associated with the bodyr unit for supporting the lower end of thehobby horse upon a traction surface, said wheel unit comprising an axle,transversely spaced wheels one secured to each end of said axle wherebythe wheels are rotatable together as a unit, each wheel having aplurality of peripheral legs extending radially outwardly from theperiphery of the respective wheel and equidistantly spacedcircumferentially of the respective wheel, each leg provided with atraction surface engaging metal shoe, said wheel unit including an axlehousing through which said axle extends, a socket member secured to saidhousing, a draft member having one end receivable in said socket and theother end connected to said body unit, and means associated with thesocket member and cooperable with the draft member for securing thelatter with respect to the socket member.

5. A hobby horse of the class described comprising, in combination, abody unit including spaced side members, connecting elementsinterconnecting said side members, a head unit comprising a head portionand a neck portion integral therewith, the neck portion being receivedbetween said side members and connected thereto for pivotal movementrelative to said body unit, said neck portion including an abutmentextension extending between said connecting elements and arranged forabutting engagement with one of said connecting elements upon pivotalmovement of the head unit in one direction and for abutting engagementwith the other connecting element upon pivotal movement of the head unitin the other direction whereby to limit said pivotal movement, combinedwith a traction wheel unit associated with the body unit for supportingthe lower end of the hobby horse upon a traction surface, said wheelunit comprising an axle, transversely spaced wheels one secured to eachend of said axle whereby the wheels are rotatable together as a unit,each wheel having a plurality of peripheral legs extending radiallyoutwardly from the periphery of the respective wheel and equidistantlyspaced circumferentially of the respective wheel, each leg provided witha traction surface engaging metal shoe, the legs of one wheel beingcircumferentially displaced angularly with respect to the legs of theother wheel.

6. A hobby horse of the class described comprising, in combination, abody unit including spaced side member, connecting elementsinterconnecting said side members, a head unit comprising a head portionand a neck portion integral therewith, the neck portion being receivedbetween said side members and connected thereto for pivotal movementrelative to said body unit, said neck portion including an abutmentextension extending between said connecting elements and arranged forabutting engagement with one of said connecting elements upon pivotalmovement of the head unit in one direction and for abutting engagementwith the other connecting element upon pivotal movement of the head unitin the other direction whereby to limit said pivotal movement, combinedwith a traction wheel unit associated with the body unit for supportingthe lower end of the hobby horse upon a traction surface, said wheelunit comprising an axle, transversely spaced wheels one secured to eachend of said axle whereby the wheels are rotatable together as a unit,each wheel having a plurality of peripheral legs extending radiallyoutwardly from the periphery of the respective Wheel and equidistantlyspaced circumferentially of the respective wheel, each leg provided witha traction surface engaging metal shoe, the legs of one wheel beingcircumferentially displaced angularly with respect to the legs of theother wheel, a draft member secured to the Wheel unit and having itsupper end extending between said side members and pivotally connectedthereto, said side members provided with arcuate slots, a bolt passingthrough said slots and through said draft member, the bolt being movablein said slots upon pivotal movement of the draft member relative to saidbody unit, and nut means on said bolt and cooperable with one of saidside members for adjustably securing the body unit in dilerent fixedpositions of pivotal adjustment with respect to the draft member.

EARL M. KENNEDY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,803,197 Marie Apr. 28, 1931 2,264,214 Lawrence Nov. 25, 19412,549,668 Cox Apr. 17, 1951 2,571,266 Levay Oct. 16, 1951 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 4352/31 Austria Sept. 6, 1932

